6 Best Full Body Barbell Exercises for Women to Achieve Effective Weight Loss

Barbell exercises for effective weight loss (Image via Pexels/Li Sun)

Women are often wary of barbell exercises, as it's often perceived that these workouts are only helpful to bulk up. However, that cannot be further from the truth. Barbell exercises provide countless benefits, including building muscles, strengthening the body, weight loss, toning muscles, and more.

They can help you lose weight without bulking up and also burn fat and calories. That's why it's recommended for women to incorporate full body barbell exercises in their workout routine.

Full Body Barbell Exercises for Weight Loss

We have created a list of the six best and most effective full body barbell exercises for women to achieve weight loss:

1) Barbell Deadlift

This exercise is often called the king of weight lifting exercises. It targets the core, legs, and shoulders.

How to do it?

Start off in a tall standing position with a barbell positioned just above your ankles.
Hinge down from your waist, and bring your upper torso about parallel to the ground.
Grasp the weight into an overhand grip, with your chest lifted and core and glutes engaged.
Raise the weight off the ground while keeping your arms extended and assuming a tall standing position.
Lower it back to the starting position. Repeat.

2) Barbell Squat

Barbell squats help in torching fat and burning calories. This exercise involves compound movements that target multiple muscles simultaneously.

How to do it?

Start off in a tall standing position with a barbell positioned across your shoulders.
With your core and glutes engaged, come to a squatting position.
Drive through the heels to assume the starting position. Repeat.

3) Barbell Bent Over Row

It helps burn calories and reduces fat. The primary muscles targeted are upper arms, shoulders, glutes, and back.

How to do it?

Grasp the barbell into an underhand grip with a shoulder-wide grip, shoulder blades drawn together, knees slightly bent, and chin tucked up.
Tilt your upper body to the front by hinging down at the waist and keeping your core and glutes engaged.
With your elbows tucked in towards the body, bring the weight to your chest before lowering it to the starting position. Repeat.

4) Barbell Hip Thrust

This exercise tones and strengthens the lower body by targeting the glutes and leg muscles. It also helps reduce fat.

How to do it?

Assume a seated position on the floor with your back on the bench and weight across your hips.
Drive your hips towards the ceiling with your knees bent and feet pressed on the ground.
Assume the starting position. Repeat.

5) Barbell Rollout

This barbell exercise helps enhance posture and abs definition.

How to do it?

Start off in the kneeling position with a barbell placed in the front.
Grasp the barbell in overhand grip with both hands by lowering your upper body.
Drive the weight to the front with your hands while ensuring that your spine remains straight.
Return to the starting position. Repeat.

6) Barbell Upright Row

This dynamic full body barbell exercise helps burn calories and reduce fat. The primary muscles targeted are the upper back and shoulders.

How to do it?

Start off in an elongated standing position with your feet shoulder-distance apart.
Grab the barbell in both hands with an overhand grip, and position it in front of your thighs with your arms extended.
With engaged glutes and core, drive the barbell towards your chin while bending your elbows to the side.
Lower the weight back to its starting position. Repeat.

Bottom Line

The aforementioned barbell exercises are some of the best and most effective for weight loss. They also provide many benefits as mentioned above.

However, make sure to adopt proper stance and technique while doing these exercises to avoid getting hurt and maximize the benefits. Also do a proper warm-up before doing these barbell exercises.